San Diego News

$100,000 To Be Awarded For Acts Of Kindness

San Diego, California - (NAPSI) - If you know someone who brings joy and happiness to others in your community, you could help that person receive one of 100 grants available from a national grassroots campaign, valued at $1,000 each.

Called Kernels of Kindness, this program was created by the oldest family-owned popcorn company in America, Jolly Time Pop Corn, in celebration of its 100th birthday.

You may want to grab a bowl of popcorn and consider this history: In 1914—the same year World War I began and Babe Ruth made his debut in the major leagues—Jolly Time was founded in Cloid Smith’s modest basement in Sioux City, Iowa. Smith hand-shelled the popcorn himself, sold his product to small grocers and street cart popcorn vendors, and launched the first-ever brand of popcorn.

Through the years, Jolly Time has pioneered the U.S. popcorn industry, evolved its product lines in an ever-changing snack market, and sold nearly 3 billion pounds of popcorn, helping families and friends enjoy cherished time together through a century of game nights, movies, parties, sporting events and much more.

“I know my great-grandfather, grandfather and father would all be proud we’re still a family-owned company,” says Garry Smith, president, and fourth-generation member of the Smith family to lead the company. “Beyond that, they’d be proud of Jolly Time’s continued commitment to our community. In celebration of our 100th year, we wanted to extend that commitment to communities across the U.S. We’re very excited to see what $100,000 of goodwill brings.”

When you think about it, kernels can be a nice metaphor for community impact. They’re little tokens of nature that, when warmed up enough, explode into unique puffs of corn. Tokens of kindness can have a similar effect, expanding beyond their original form and fueling us.

As the saying goes, sometimes it’s the small things in life that matter most. There are so many people-often, everyday folks-who offer kernels of kindness that reverberate within their community. Their impact reaches—dare we say, “pops”—farther than they may realize.

Perhaps you have a friend who performs magic shows for sick children in hospital rooms; or a neighbor who leaves baked goods at the local fire station; or sorority sisters who bring joy to veterans by bowling with them once a month. Anyone can be nominated to win $1,000 to continue the goodwill in the community.

How To Nominate

You can nominate individuals and organizations at www.jollytime.com/kernelsofkindness starting May 15 and ending June 15, and winning stories will be published on the website. Everyone who submits a nomination gets a coupon for a free box of Jolly Time Microwave Pop Corn. It’s carried the Good Housekeeping Seal since 1925, longer than any other food product.

The company’s American-grown products are gluten-free and made using non-GMO popcorn. From classic flavors—such as Blast O Butter, Crispy ‘N White, Healthy Pop and Kettle-Mania—to more contemporary spins such as Mallow Magic and Jalapeño Butter, as well as innovative partnerships with Weight Watchers and Smart Balance, Jolly Time embraces an entrepreneurial spirit while remaining true to its deep roots.